Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
03:49
Enhanced Cochlear Coverage and Hearing Preservation in High-Frequency Hearing Loss via Electric Acoustic Stimulation with Longer Electrode
Published on: October 11, 2024
Vibroplasty for mixed and conductive hearing loss
Jan Christoffer Luers1, Karl-Bernd Hüttenbrink, Thomas Zahnert
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Summary
New application methods for the Vibrant Soundbridge active middle ear implant offer therapeutic options for conductive or mixed hearing loss. While effective, audiometric results vary due to study heterogeneity.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Audiology
Background:
- Conductive or mixed hearing loss can result from various outer and middle ear diseases.
- The Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) is an active middle ear implant designed to address these hearing impairments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize and analyze novel application techniques for the Vibrant Soundbridge active middle ear implant.
- To evaluate the therapeutic potential of VSB in patients with conductive or mixed hearing loss.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted using Medline/PubMed.
- Publications in English were selected using the search terms "Vibrant Soundbridge" and "floating mass transducer."
- A structured analysis of extracted findings, conclusions, and audiometric data was performed.
Main Results:
- Modern VSB application methods provide new therapeutic avenues for diverse outer and middle ear pathologies.
- Titanium couplers facilitate standardized coupling of the VSB to ossicular remnants or the round window.
- The VSB is established as an alternative treatment for mixed and conductive hearing loss.
Conclusions:
- The VSB offers a viable treatment option for patients with conductive and mixed hearing loss.
- Despite established efficacy, the functional hearing gain post-VSB implantation shows considerable variability.
- Heterogeneity in published studies complicates definitive analysis of audiometric outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
01:11The Auditory Ossicles
The auditory ossicles of the middle ear transmit sounds from the air as vibrations to the fluid-filled cochlea. The auditory ossicles consist of two malleus (hammer) bones, two incus (anvil) bones, and two stapes (stirrups), one on each side. These bones develop during the fetal stage and are the ones to ossify first. They are fully mature at birth and do not grow afterward.
The aptly named stapes look very much like a stirrup. The three ossicles are unique to mammals, and each plays a role in...
The aptly named stapes look very much like a stirrup. The three ossicles are unique to mammals, and each plays a role in...
01:31Hearing
When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
01:19Vibrating Concrete
Mechanical vibrators are instrumental in compacting newly poured concrete within formwork and around reinforcements. This process is essential to eliminate trapped air pockets and establish a dense concrete mass. One widely used method is vibrating by internal vibrators, often referred to as a poker vibrator or immersion vibrator. It is rapidly inserted through the full depth of the freshly laid concrete and slightly extends into the layer below it (which remains in a plastic state). Consistent...
01:13The Cochlea
The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.